What sparked the song “The Last Uncompromising Hardcore Band”?
Do you think angry music is silly now? I’m not saying anger is silly in today’s world or anything, but the atmosphere of technological consumerism that seems to surround most of our experiences tends to polish away the rough edges of our expressions. And so sometimes I get the sense that emotions, especially anger, just feel quaint to the majority of people. And I am not excluded from that — I often make myself numb to the events of the world just to get things done in my life. But I guess the one area I have which isn’t touched by that is my songs … so the song is about something like that. Was “California in October” based on personal experience? Sort of. I did begin writing the lyrics when we were on tour in California in 2003, specifically driving up the Pacific Coast Highway, which ended up being a slightly harrowing experience in a van full of equipment (I was the one who suggested we do it). But I suppose the song is “about” a theme I think a lot of my songs end up being abou
